Erland



A. F. SUTHERLAND.

(No Model.)

PUZZLE.

Patented Peb. 26, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW FRASER SUTHERLAND, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,769, dated February 26, 1895.

Application filed November 21,1894- gerial No. 529,451. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW FRASER Surn- ERLAND, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of New York, county of New York, andState ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to puzzles and has for its object to provide a device which will comprise a secret drawer in which a prize is placed which said drawer will be normally locked and unlocked by the completion orsolution of the puzzle; afurther object of the invention being to provide such a device as will comprise a plurality of rolling balls of which but one, on reaching the terminal of the puzzle, will unlock the drawer, thereby rendering the solution thereof more diflieult.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view, partially broken away, of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a lon gitudinal vertical section of the same taken on the line 00-50, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a transverse section taken upon the line y-y, Fig. 1.

In the practice of my invention, 1 construct a base A, having upwardly projecting sides A, and closed at one end throughout about a quarter of its length by a transversely ranging wooden or other opaque cover B, imnie diately beneath the inner end of which isan aligning partition B to form a recess or chamber B Sliding in this recess B is a drawer B provided with a knob a, and not extending wholly to the rear of the box, and having secured upon the inner end thereof a staple b, with which engages a tapered or beveled gravity hook or latch c, pivotally secured upon' a loop or eye 0 in the rear of the box, and normally resting in said staple to maintain the drawer locked within the recess 13.

At the rear of the device adjacent to the recess B is asmaller recess 13, in which I mount bearings d having a lever e pivoted therein, projecting beneath and secured to the gravity hook c and resting upon a lug or shoulder e beneath the same. The opposite end of the lever e projects but slightly from the bearings 01 or fulcrum point, in order to be normally raised by the weight of the opposite end and the hook 0. Upon said end of the lever is mounted a semi-spherical cup f.

Extending from the partition B to the opposite end of the box and cut out or apertured in alignment with the minor recess B is an elevated bottom 0, supported above the level of the cupf upon a rib or flange O secured to the base A.

Upon the elevated bottom C, I secure a plurality of upraised partitions D, approximately rectangular in form and concentric with respect to, and wholly isolated from, each other, to form a plurality of correspondingly shaped grooves or passages D, and a central recess D which communicate with each other by meanso'f single openings D which I form in the partitions at opposite sides. Bordering the recess'B I secure a partition or guard D in which is formed an opening D immediately in front of the cup f. Resting upon these partitions between the recess B and the opposite edge of the box, is a glass cover E,

having an opening E at the center thereof, through which are inserted in the box a plurality of spherical bodies or balls F, F, of which I have illustrated three in all, the ball F being of the usual material, to be sufficiently heavy to depress the lever e when placed in the cup f, and the remaining balls being of some lighter material, as rubber or hollow celluloid, in order not to appreciably afiect such lever, all'of said balls being similarly shaped and colored.

The operation of the device will be readily apparent from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. The ball being inserted through the opening F into'the central recess D the puzzle is manipulated to cause one of the balls to leave said recess and pass from one passage to the other through the openings D until the outermost passage is reached, the ball then being rolled through the opening D in the guard D into the cup f, the remaining balls being meanwhile by manipulation retained in the central recess D Should the player have selected the heavy ball F, which of course is not distinguishable from the others, said ballwill weigh down the cupf, and raise the opposite end of the lever 6, thereby lifting the gravity hook c and releasing the drawer O, which may then be withdrawn and the contents thereof, which may be any suitable prize, appropriated. The ball is then dislodged from the cup f, and rolled into the main recess B and the drawer being withdrawn, said ballmay be removed and reinserted into the central recess D through the opening E in the glass top E.

Should the player unconsciously have selected one of thelighter balls F,the lever will not be actuated by its entrance into the cup f, and said ball is then dislodged from the cup and left in the recess 13 while the next player makes the attempt.

After the opening of the drawer, a second prize is placed therein and the said drawer re-inserted,being automaticallylocked by the gravity latch c.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

l. A puzzle comprising a box having partitions thereon to form passages, one or more balls adapted to roll therein, a drawer in said box, a catch normally locking the said drawer, and means whereby the ball may be caused to raise said catch, substantially as shown and described.

2. A puzzle comprising a box, a plurality of partitions thereon to form passages, a concealed drawer in said box, a gravity catch normally locking the same, a lever connecting to said catch, a cup upon one end thereof, and one or more balls adapted to roll in said passages and to enter said cup and open the drawer, substantially as shown and described.

3. A puzzle comprising a box, havinga plurality of partitions thereon to form passages,

a concealed drawer in said box, a gravity catch normally locking the same, a plurality of balls rolling in the passages, of which but one is Weighted and the others of light material, and means whereby the weighted ball may be caused to lift the catch and open the drawer, substantially as shown and described.

4. A puzzle comprising a box having a transverse partition thereon to form a chamber in which is inserted a drawer, a cover on the end of the box to conceal the same, a staple upon the rear of the drawer, a beveled gravity catch pivoted in the box and normally engaging said staple to lock said drawer, a lever pivoted adjacent to the chamber and secured to the catch, and having a short innerend on which is mounted a semi-spherical cup, an elevated bottom above the level of said cup, having a plurality of approximately concentric and rectangular partitions to form a series of pas sages, said partitions having openings therein, a guard partition bordering the bottom adjacent to the cup and having an opening therein in alignment therewith, a Weighted ball adapted to traverse the passage and enter said cup to depress the same, elevate the catch, and unlock the drawer, a plurality of balls of light material to be incapable of unlocking the same, and a glass cover upon the box above the elevated bottom, having an opening there- 'in for the entrance of the balls, substantially as shown and described.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 19th day of November, 1894.

ANDREW FRASER SU'IHERLAND.

Witnesses:

PERCY T. GRIFFITH, L. MULLER. 

